Health experts are urging governments and social media companies worldwide to take coordinated action to curb the spread of biased or misleading medical advice shared by social media influencers, warning that inaccurate information is causing real-world harm.
A series of analyses and commentaries published in respected health journal, The BMJ, highlight the growing impact of influencers on public health, with researchers calling for stronger regulation, accountability measures, and better access to reliable information.
International researchers say influencers now play a major role in health communication; a trend being fuelled by the enormous reach of popular online personalities. In the US, more than 70% of young adults follow influencers, and over 40% have made purchases based on their recommendations.
But authors warn that four key factors increase the risk of influencers spreading misinformation: a lack of medical expertise, industry influence, pressure to promote their own products, and personal bias.
“Such advice can cause psychological, physical, financial, and systemic harm – from inaccurate self-diagnosis and inappropriate treatments to unnecessary spending and higher healthcare costs,” they write in The BMJ.
Recent high-profile examples include celebrity Kim Kardashian encouraging her 360 million Instagram followers to undergo full-body MRI scans – an unproven screening method associated with overdiagnosis, unnecessary interventions and significant costs.
Even influencers with health credentials can mislead audiences. Researchers point to US chiropractor Eric Berg, who promotes high-dose supplements to 14 million YouTube subscribers while selling his own vitamin products, some of which received a legal warning for lead levels above safety limits.
The persuasive power of influencers stems not only from their reach but from the “parasocial relationships” they form with followers, creating bonds that can amplify the impact of biased advice.
Yet the researchers also acknowledge that not all influencer content is harmful. Many doctors and qualified professionals use their platforms to debunk myths, and ‘patient influencers’ can provide valuable peer support – particularly for people with stigmatised or poorly understood conditions.
To maximise the benefits while reducing risks, the authors argue for a multi-layered response involving governments, platforms, and the public. Strategies include tighter regulations, greater platform transparency, influencer accountability, targeted education campaigns, and easier access to reliable, fact-checked health information.
“Together, these strategies can help create a safer information environment in which influencers are constructive rather than harmful sources of health advice,” the paper concludes.
In a linked editorial, two of the authoring academics stress that better moderation and regulation alone will not solve the problem. They argue that trust must be rebuilt through verified communities, clinician-endorsed forums, and public health campaigns designed in partnership with online communities.
“Shared decision making must evolve for the digital age,” writes Tina Purnat and David Scales.
“The key is structuring interventions around people’s information environments, where exposure, like exposure to physical environments, shapes health and deserves similar care.”
Another feature explores the role of patient influencers – individuals who share personal accounts of living with chronic or complex conditions, attracting large followings by offering authenticity and emotional connection.
“I think partly people are finding social media better for answers because it’s not [always] easy to get hold of a medical professional,” says Liam Robertson, who runs the Instagram account @livingwithulcerativecolitis.
“It’s almost like a strategy to help them. I don’t feel like they should need that, but we do.”
Lily Mae, who documents her experiences with multiple chronic conditions on her account @chronicallylil, says healthcare professionals could learn from online patient communities.
“There’s such a wealth of firsthand knowledge being shared – real stories, symptoms, and lived experiences that could help improve care if more providers took the time to understand them,” Mae said in a recent post.
Jen Moore posts about endometriosis and adenomyosis via her @jen.dometriosis handle and emphasises the need for collaboration between clinicians and patient creators.
“Unless we involve clinicians in what we’re trying to do, nothing’s going to change,” she says.
As the influence of online platforms continues to grow, researchers say the challenge now is to build digital spaces where trustworthy voices can thrive – and where harmful medical misinformation is naturally questions and which struggles to take hold.
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.